Mo Ostin, WB exec, died at 95 (White album)

[Villavic]

Mo Ostin, US record exec who signed Jimi Hendrix and the Kinks, dies aged 95.
Headhunted by Frank Sinatra, the head of Warner/Reprise oversaw classic releases by the likes of Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac and Prince

So I do remember that name from Mick's first book, first time he mentioned Mo was about the White album:

But we knew this album was different from the rest. Everyone felt something exciting. For years we had been floating, without much direction. But this new band had chemistry. Biochemistry, even. We were enthused. I thought, let's go down and talk to Mo Ostin, the president of Warner Bros., and let Mo know that this time we really want the record company behind us.

So I went to see Mo. Mickey Shapiro came along. I told him, "Look, we really feel something here. We don't want you to think of this as just another Fleetwood Mac record. And if you and the company aren't excited about this record, then we prefer not to be on the label. We're not unhappy, but this means enough to us to say please, let us go if you don't love this record and think of us as a new band." Mo smiled in his avuncular way and assured us things would be OK. At that point, nobody at the label had even heard the record. But we wanted to let them know that this project was very special to us.

How accurate is this, I don't know, but it's an interesting episode.

[jbrownsjr]

Christine mentions Mo when doing the 21st birthday of Warner Brothers video with Stevie.

[elle]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Christine mentions Mo when doing the 21st birthday of Warner Brothers video with Stevie.

Lindsey always talks about Mo Ostin keeping FM on the label as they were lingering between albums and members back in the early 70s.

for some reason i though i heard he died couple of years ago.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by elle

Lindsey always talks about Mo Ostin keeping FM on the label as they were lingering between albums and members back in the early 70s.

for some reason i though i heard he died couple of years ago.

Elle!! xoxoxox... Ok, carry on. I've missed you.

[BombaySapphire3]

As I recall even after hearing the "White Album" Mo and Warners still did nothing extra to promote the album until around Christmas of 1975 when Over My Head starting going in the Billboard charts where no Fleetwood Mac song had gone before and the album had sold over a million copies. Then they starting spending to promote it.

[DownOnRodeo]

I had just been thinking--what if upon joining Fleetwood Mac Lindsey had insisted that the band be renamed "Fleetwood Mac & Buckingham Nicks" or something to that effect (aka CSN becoming CSNY)? (Perhaps something catchier--Fleetham McNicks?)

Would this have helped more firmly seal the legacy of BN-era FM as its own definitive band, compared to the earlier and later iterations?

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by BombaySapphire3

As I recall even after hearing the "White Album" Mo and Warners still did nothing extra to promote the album until around Christmas of 1975 when Over My Head starting going in the Billboard charts where no Fleetwood Mac song had gone before and the album had sold over a million copies. Then they starting spending to promote it.

Yes, this is basically what Mick says in his first book. The album exceeded sales of 400,000 units and the label wouldn’t pay for promotional balloons at one of their shows. Not until OMH reached 20 and the two successive singles reached 11 respectively did the label suddenly stand up and take real notice. There was some help early on for remixing the three singles but this didn’t actually come from the label. The band hired an outside AR guy.